Associate Director (Academic Coordinator) - Institute for the Study of Societal Issues

The Institute for the Study of Societal Issues (ISSI) is UC Berkeley's home for interdisciplinary social change research. ISSI connects research on structural inequality to meaningful policy and community impact Since its founding in 1976, the Institute has served as an intellectual hub, connecting eight research centers that examine structural inequities in areas such as health disparities, political movements, racial formations, Indigenous rights, criminalization, and more. ISSI trains and nurtures the next generation of social change scholars, fosters community-rooted research, and facilitates intersectional dialogue that grounds scholarship in lived experience.

Position Description

The Associate Director oversees the programs of ISSI and five centers: the Center for Research on Social Change, the Berkeley Center for Right-Wing Studies, the Berkeley Center for Social Medicine, the Joseph A. Myers Center for Research on Native American Issues, and the Center for the Study of Sexual Cultures. The Associate Director is responsible for coordinating academic programming, supporting faculty and students in their research, and supervising the ISSI Chief Administrative Officer, Communications Coordinator, and Program Coordinator. The Associate Director also provides high-level oversight of ISSI centers that have their own staff. While all programs fall under the umbrella of interdisciplinary social change research, their topical focuses are quite distinct. The Associate Director is not expected to be a subject matter expert in these areas, as that expertise resides with the faculty chairs.

• Coordinate and support academic events, programming, summer workshops, and related initiatives across ISSI and affiliated centers.
• Administer mini-grant and prize programs, including application coordination, review support, and program implementation.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for visiting scholars, providing logistical, administrative, and programmatic support.
• Provide research and organizational support to affiliated faculty and students, including facilitating collaborations, supporting writing and working groups, and coordinating resources across centers and initiatives.
• Assist faculty in securing extramural funding by identifying funding opportunities, advising on proposal development and submission strategies, guiding compliance with university and agency procedures, and reviewing grant proposal drafts.

The Associate Director also serves as Co-Director of ISSI's Graduate Fellows Program:

• Oversee curriculum development, program coordination, and training activities for Graduate Fellows.
• Lead seminars and provide mentorship, academic guidance, and editorial feedback to Graduate Fellows on research, scholarly writing, professional development, and academic presentations.
• Edit and publish Graduate Fellows' working papers through the California Digital Library's eScholarship Repository.
• Coordinate the Graduate Fellows recruitment and selection process, including application review, committee support, and fellowship communications.
• Liaise with campus offices regarding fellowship funding, program administration, and related support activities.

Unit: https://issi.berkeley.edu/

• Advanced degree

• Advanced degree in a field relevant to social sciences;
• Five years of program development and management or an equivalent combination of education and experience, preferably in an academic environment;
• Strong interdisciplinary intellectual background with ability to bridge fields and support collaborative research, programming, and graduate training;
• Evidence of scholarly achievement (e.g., at least one peer-reviewed publication preferred) and familiarity with the academic job market;
• Knowledge of systemic issues affecting marginalized communities in the U.S., with experience in community-engaged research preferred;
• Strong writing, editing, and communication skills;
• Familiarity with academic research environments and ability to work effectively within diverse scholarly communities;
• Experience with grant proposal development and submission to federal and non-federal funding agencies, including knowledge of compliance requirements (e.g., human subjects, confidentiality, financial and effort reporting);
• Fundraising experience in a university or nonprofit context;
• Experience using and/or teaching qualitative social science research methods.

• 3 required (contact information only)

UC Berkeley is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in our public mission of research, teaching, and service, consistent with UC Regents Policy 4400 and University of California Academic Personnel policy (APM 210 1-d). These values are embedded in our Principles of Community, which reflect our passion for critical inquiry, debate, discovery and innovation, and our deep commitment to contributing to a better world. Every member of the UC Berkeley community has a role in sustaining a safe, caring and humane environment in which these values can thrive.

The University of California, Berkeley is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status.

For more information, please refer to the University of California's Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment Policy and the University of California's Anti-Discrimination Policy.

In searches when letters of reference are required all letters will be treated as confidential per University of California policy and California state law. Please refer potential referees, including when letters are provided via a third party (i.e., dossier service or career center), to the UC Berkeley statement of confidentiality prior to submitting their letter.

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

Unless stated otherwise, unambiguously, in the position description, this position does not include sponsorship of a new consular H-1B visa petition that would require payment of the $100,000 supplemental fee.

As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct.

• "Misconduct" means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment or discrimination, as defined by the employer.
• UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
• UC Anti-Discrimination Policy
• APM - 035: Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment